Scared
by Sasusc
Summary: After the events in "Random on Purpose" NCIS: Los Angeles , Abby is scared to be alone.


Title: Scared  
Author: Scared  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: 1197  
Genre: Hurt/Comfort  
Spoilers: NCIS LA's "Random on Purpose", General Season 7  
Summary: After the events in "Random on Purpose", Abby is scared to be alone.

Notes: Takes place somewhere between 710 "Faith" (aka the Christmas episode) and 712 "Flesh and Blood". This is my take on why there's a pillow on Gibbs' couch seen in "Flesh and Blood", "Masquerade", and "Jack-Knife".

* * *

Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he watched Abby take a sip from a coffee cup. Coffee wasn't her usual choice of poison, but she occasionally had a cup or two after a late night and early morning and then ruining it with cream and sugar. She looked weary, as if she hadn't slept in days; and by his observation, he wasn't that far off the mark. She was always here before everyone came in and she was the last one to leave. He checked the sign-in sheets only to find out that it was much worst than he thought. She was leaving at the crack of dawn, just as people were starting to trickle in, and signing back in a few hours later.

He remained silent as he watched her walk around her lab and turning on her machines. She hadn't noticed him sitting in the dark corner yet.

"Miss me boys?" she asked her machines.

Abby jumped with fright when she finally noticed Gibbs. She nearly spilled the rest of her drink on her outfit. "Gibbs! Don't scare me like that." She set the coffee down and folded her arms across her chest. "What are you doing here?"

Gibbs grabbed the coffee and drank from it. "Since when do you drink your coffee black?"

Abby refused to answer. "You didn't answer my question."

"I was waiting for you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why? You're not working on any cases right now."

He stepped closer to her. "When have I ever needed an excuse to come down here and see you?"

"Oh, I don't know…maybe since it's only eight in the morning." She narrowed her eyes. "How long have you been lying in wait for me?"

Gibbs drained the rest of the coffee. "Just about the time you signed out…three hours ago."

Her mouth opened in surprise.

"Abs… You can talk to me. Tell me what's wrong," he commanded.

Abby turned away from him, hunching her shoulders. "I don't want to talk about it. I'm fine."

He stepped up right behind her and pulled her into his arms. He dropped his head on top of hers. "Abby, you haven't once mentioned the Phantom. You need to talk about it."

"Why?" she asked, and to Gibbs she sounded like a lost little girl. He tightened his arms around her.

"You can't keep things like that bottle up."

"I've talked to people."

He turned her around to face him. "Not me. You haven't talked to me."

There was hurt in his eyes, she saw when she searched his face. "Gibbs… What do you want me to say? That I'm scared? I've been scared since the minute he took me. Who wouldn't be scared after something like that?"

"You were seconds away from being killed," he gently reminded her. "Being scared is nothing to be ashamed about."

Abby gave a hallow laugh. "I'm not ashamed. Scared is an appropriated emotional response for someone who nearly got decapitated. I've dealt with that--well, I'm dealing with it just fine."

"What is it then?"

She thought about refusing, but this was Gibbs. She couldn't lie to him, and she could no longer hide it from him. "He _found _me. He manipulated me into going to LA and to that club. And like a sheep to the slaughter, I went!" She started crying as she allowed all of her defenses down. "He found _me_, Gibbs. Do you know how easy that was? He read my blogs--we talked. It wasn't that hard to find me. I deleted all my blogs and personal posts online. I don't feel safe. Anywhere. I don't want to go home and be in my apartment alone. I can't even walk to my car without thinking that someone could be waiting for me. I'm always looking around for potential kidnappers lurking everywhere I go. I hate it!"

"Abs… I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

"You can't promise me that!"

"I can try!" He wiped her tears away. "You're coming home with me tonight."

"And tomorrow night? And the night after that?"

He kissed her check. "Stay as long as you want."

"Really? I can stay with you?"

"Always. You have to take the couch. Dad's staying in my guess room."

Abby smiled a genuine smile for the first time in days. She squeezed him tight. "I love Jackson! I didn't realize that he was still here."

"He never left."

* * *

He woke up to the sound of whimpering. He had left his door ajar in case she had a nightmare tonight. He hurried down the stairs to find Abby tossing and turning on the couch covered in sweat.

"No," she moaned. "Don't!"

He leaned over and shook her. "Abby, wake up."

She cried out as her eyes flew opened.

"Shh. I'm here. You're safe," he told her gently. He sat down beside her and hauled her into his arms. Abby clung to Gibbs, fisting her fingers into his t-shirt and pressing her face against his neck. He rubbed circles into her back as he whispered nonsensical words of comfort into her ear.

Ten minutes later, she felt calm enough to pull slightly away from him. "I'm sorry," she apologized. She couldn't look at him. "This is exactly why I hate sleeping. I'm sorry."

He cupped her face and forced her to look at him. "Never say you're sorry."

She smiled at him. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"You good?"

She bit her lip. "Can I sleep with you?"

He searched her face. The fear was still evident across her face. She wouldn't be able to calm her fears on her own. "Sure," he said softly.

Gibbs laced his fingers through hers and led her upstairs to his bedroom.

* * *

"Jethro?"

Gibbs snuggled closer to Abby. "Hmm?"

She giggled as his breath tickled her neck. "Are you sleeping?"

"Hmm," came his answer.

Abby sighed. "Thank you. You always make me feel safe."

Gibbs' response was to tighten his arms around her. They were lying side by side--spooning actually. He was curled around her, and Abby had never felt so safe and protective. Or comfortable. They fit perfectly together.

"I… Oh, Gibbs! I see him everywhere I go. I see him every time I close my eyes." She babbled on, releasing all her bottled up emotions from her kidnapping. She came to the end of her story. "I didn't think they would find me in time. They weren't _you_. I hoped they would, but I had all but given up hope at the end. Bad things happen in LA. I'm banning anyone from the team to go to LA, Gibbs. Not you or Tony or Timmy or Ziva… All of you. I mean it. I'll handcuff anyone who thinks about taking a trip to LA."

"Abs?" he mumbled. He had remained silent when she was talking, but she was starting to ramble. "Handcuff me later."

Abby grinned. "Your handcuffs or mine?"

"Hmm," he resorted to saying. "Sleep. Now."

She sighed. "Night, Gibbs."

"Hmm," he mumbled again, too tired to form another word.

They were both fast asleep within seconds.


End file.
